rom it, but, strange to tell, the cloud was not
carried back, but kept its course onward in defiance of the wind, and
thus fared the cloud.

Upon the shore, watching with extreme and undivided interest the
progress of the cloud, stood many of the sons of the forest. Wonder
and astonishment had seized their souls, at the strange and hitherto
unheard-of sight of a low, compact, dark cloud, moving rapidly against
a strong wind. They saw that it was of unusual shape, and that there
were other circumstances connected with it, such as are not usual with
the spirit-mists of the air. Rightly deeming it a cloud from some very
far region, perhaps some aerial messenger sent by the Great Spirit to
communicate an important errand, they awaited in silent awe the
progress of that to which they could not give a name. Yet, deeming it
possible that grim war might in some one of his thousand forms be
hidden under the semblance of a cloud--that hostile beings might
inhabit what appeared but thin air--they prepared to oppose violence
with violence, and to meet battle with manful battle. Some went and
cut new lance poles, others tough and elastic bows. The priests
prepared sacrifices to appease the spirit, if spirit it were, and
sang propitiatory songs, in which they first called it a good Spirit,
and thanked it as such for the fat deer and mooses it had sent to
their hunting-grounds, and the juicy fish which filled their waters,
and the tender fowls which stocked their lakes. Then they addressed it
as the Spirit of Evil, deprecating its wrath, and imploring its mercy,
beseeching it, if it came in anger, to go away and discharge its venom
elsewhere; if it came to bring them rich gifts, to be speedy about it,
for such never came too soon.

In the mean time, the cloud came every moment nearer, till, at last,
it was scarcely the flight of an arrow distant from the shore. Then
gradually it disappeared, and, in its stead, appeared a large animal,
with innumerable arms and legs of all sizes and shapes, and of all
lengths, and of several colours. Perched on various parts of the legs
and arms of this strange animal were other animals, whose appearance
was unlike any other being ever beheld by the Indians. They wore in
some respects the character of man--were gifted with his strength and
wisdom, his power and capacities--were by turns a prey to lust,
ambition, hate, despair, revenge--commencing life with tears, and
dying with a sigh. Their fangs we